- August 18, 2026
- 5 min read
NMAT 2026-27: Key info, dates, fees, registration process
India NMAT Exam dates for 2026 run across November and December ©️dangrytsku
TL;DR
- The NMAT is taken more than 75,000 times every year and accepted by some of India’s leading business schools
- In the 2026-27 testing cycle, NMAT registration opens on August 20th and closes October 10th 2026
- After registering, you’ll be able to take the test anytime between November 2nd and December 20th 2026
- NMAT registration costs INR 3,000, with additional fees if you want to reschedule, retake or send your score to more than five schools
The NMAT Exam is one of India’s leading entrance exams for business schools.
Owned and administered by GMAC, fresh graduates as well as working professionals sit the NMAT to gain admission into MBA and master’s programs.
The NMAT is accepted by 56 business schools across India and is taken over 75,000 times every year.
If you’re considering applying to business school, read on to find out everything you need to know about the NMAT Exam for the 2026-27 testing year:
NMAT Exam registration and fees
NMAT Exam dates 2026-27
NMAT accepting colleges
NMAT vs CAT – Key differences
NMAT exam structure and scores
To understand what the NMAT is, you firstly need to understand its core structure.
The NMAT is made up of three equally weighted sections:
- Language Skills
- Quantitative Skills
- Logical Reasoning
Each section consists of 36 questions. You have 120 minutes to complete the exam and can complete the sections in any order you like.
You get your unofficial NMAT score immediately after taking the exam. The official score is sent to you within 48 hours. (Any exam with test security concerns or incidents is subject to audit and the result will be published in 10 working days.) NMAT scores range from 36 to a maximum of 360.
You can take the NMAT Exam at your choice of date and time, and self-schedule your test as well. In India you can also take the exam at test centers. across more than 80 cities in India. For NMAT test-takers outside of India, the NMAT exam is only available as an online proctored exam.
There is no negative marking in the NMAT. This means that if you answer a question wrong or leave questions unanswered, no marks will be deducted.
NMAT Exam Registration And Fees
NMAT registration is quick and easy. If you are new to the site, you’ll have to create an account before filling the registration form.
You can then schedule your exam and select your preferred business schools where you want your NMAT Exam score to be sent. You can select up to five colleges; additional choices are available for an additional fee.
For all candidates, the NMAT Exam fees excluding taxes are:
NMAT registration India: INR 3,000 (International: $65)
NMAT retake India: INR 3,000 (International: $65)
Rescheduling India: INR 1,200 (International: $30)
Fee to send your NMAT score to additional colleges (beyond your initial 5) India: INR 400 (International: $5)
NMAT exam dates 2026-27
India NMAT exam dates for the 2026-2027 testing year have been announced and the NMAT test schedule for candidates in India is as follows:
NMAT registration window: August 20th – October 10th 2026
Test scheduling: August 20th – October 22nd 2026
Exam delivery: November 2nd – December 20th 2026
For India, the last date to register for the NMAT in 2026 is October 10th.
For international locations, the testing cycle starts every year around 10th July and ends the following June.
You can take the NMAT Exam three times in a testing year. This means that you can retake the NMAT twice during that time to improve your score.
After taking the test, you have to wait at least 15 days before you can apply for a retake attempt.
However, your NMAT Exam score only lasts for one application cycle. If you want to apply with the NMAT again another year, you have to sit the NMAT again.
Indian business schools that accept the NMAT
The NMAT is accepted at many of India’s leading business schools including the Indian School of Business and S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research, which are both ranked among the top 100 schools in the world by the Financial Times.
Other NMAT-accepting colleges in India include the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), , K J Somaiya Institute of Management (KJSIM), and Flame University.
Key differences between the NMAT and CAT
The CAT, or Common Admission Test, is the biggest admission exam in India run by the Indian Institutes of Management. To apply for an IIM, you have to take the CAT.
Aside from the schools that accept the CAT and the NMAT, the main difference between the CAT vs NMAT is that you can only take the CAT once in a testing year, while you can take the NMAT three times.
If you get a bad CAT score, you would have to wait until the following year to try and improve that score.
The NMAT also has no negative marking, while the CAT has negative marking for multiple choice questions. That means if you get one question wrong, you would get one point deducted from your score. While you should prepare thoroughly for either test, some candidates therefore see the NMAT as the less difficult option.
Ultimately, taking the NMAT will allow you to apply for and stand out to some of the top MBA colleges in India in a flexible and affordable way.
This article was originally written in February 2022 and last updated in August 2026.
